"What we see is the president's policies in the Middle East falling apart," Giuliani told CNN chief political correspondent Candy Crowley on "State of the Union." "I mean, the reality is the president got elected to reset our relationship in the Middle East. We might as well not have had the reset."

A Mitt Romney presidency would do a better job of asserting American interests in the region, Giuliani said, including setting clear "red lines" that Iran should not cross in its nuclear program.

While Israeli leaders have called on the United States to join them in setting the specific threshold that would prompt action against Iran, both Obama and Romney have declined to say exactly what that threshold would be. Both have said it would be unacceptable for Iran to develop a nuclear weapon.

On Sunday, Giuliani said Romney may yet lay out a specific "red line" ahead of November's election.

"I believe that Mitt Romney would set a red line," Giuliani said. Pressed by Crowley on why Romney hasn't set such a boundary already, the former mayor said there was still time for the candidate to spell out his position.

"He might over the course of these debates," Giuliani said. "He might very well do it. Although you'd criticize him for being engaged in foreign policy. Mitt Romney can't win."

The recent spate of protests in the Middle East has triggered a rare detour into foreign policy on the presidential campaign, which until now has been largely focused on the nation's still-struggling economy. Giuliani said that kind of change of focus shows the folly of making assumptions about who will win in November.

"Whoever is overconfident about who is going to win this election is probably going to lose it," Giuliani said. "This is a darn close election. Who ever expected what happened in the last week, week and a half? This was going to be an election about the economy."

soundoff(38 Responses)

Rudy who? I thought we stopped giving this guy air time when he stopped being relevant four years ago.

September 16, 2012 10:39 am at 10:39 am |

Lyla M

Want another war on the books, Rudy? I suggest you and Romney pay for it through all the tax breaks you support for the wealthy in this country. The rest of us have had it with war. We are going to be paying for the last fool's two unfunded wars for years to come, but the GOP hates to admit any accountability for our debt? How were the wars to be funded....anyone?

September 16, 2012 10:43 am at 10:43 am |

Wirius

Republicans using 9-11 for political purposes again I see. The attack happened on 9-11, and is obviously terrorist fueled. This is not the Arab countries as a whole. We've pulled out of Iraq, and we had an amazingly cheap and quick transition in Libya. Crisis happen that are out of our control. Watch Obama to see how he handles this crisis, then criticize. For now, he needs our backing.

September 16, 2012 10:56 am at 10:56 am |

basky

Rudy falling apart!

September 16, 2012 10:56 am at 10:56 am |

Amnesia 101

You're right Rudy. Mitt Romney can't win. It's in our best interest that he doesn't.

September 16, 2012 10:56 am at 10:56 am |

Tom

"the reality is that the president got elected to reset our relationship in the Middle East"? No chance the problem today could be caused by religious fanatics driven by an amateurish 14 minute video? No, didn't think so-btw, Rudy, nice strategy yourself in the 2008 GOP primaries. Please leave, no one cares about your "expert" analysis of international policy....or anything else for that matter.

September 16, 2012 10:56 am at 10:56 am |

GI Joe

............. from the guy that couldn't do anything to stop other people's actions on 9/11 .................

September 16, 2012 10:58 am at 10:58 am |

B.

I think that most thoughtful and serious Americans prefer Obama’s approach to Foreign Policy to what we saw Mr. Romney’s style would be like!

Romney’s shoot from the mouth approach to every issue is frantic, omnidirectional, and has no place in a very volatile global scene.We all witnessed that kind of mentality with Bush for eight very long years..

September 16, 2012 10:59 am at 10:59 am |

bcrunner

Nice try Rudy!! Not working!!! It was not the policy of the President that got a whole bunch of radicals in those countries to go nuts... It was actually a stupid 14 minute video... Let's not forget how the Muslim groups have reacted in the past to similar what they perceive as attacks or being desrespectful to the Muslims....

September 16, 2012 11:01 am at 11:01 am |

Wire Palladin, S. F.

Rudy should go back to things he knows about, like cross dressing and using 9-11 in every sentence. By the way, in addition to 9-11 under Bush, Bush also enjoyed having 12 attacks on American embassies. That is the republican defense policy.

September 16, 2012 11:06 am at 11:06 am |

Thomas

Widespread unrest in the Middle East signals a major failure of President Barack Obama's policies in the region, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani asserted Sunday.

Ego , Ego , Ego , Great hair

September 16, 2012 11:06 am at 11:06 am |

James

Rudy will say anything to keep his name in the news. He is not important and his views are those that destroyed America's standing in the Muslim world. We must distinguish between the majority of moslems and the relative few extremists who are behind the terrorist acts across the world. It is in the interests of the U.S. and the leaders in all muslim countries to target these bad guys rather than paint all muslims with the same brush. Obama's foreign policy is a model for future U.S. administrations and has broad support overseas. It is not a sign of weakness rather a sign of intelligent diplomacy.

September 16, 2012 11:07 am at 11:07 am |

Jerubbaal

As if the 8 years of the neocons were successful: 9/11, 12 embassy bombings, the Iraq war, over 3,000 deaths and 30,000 casvalties to our brave soldiers, Iraq basically a shiite dictatorship aligned with Iran, over 1 trillion in treasure lost and a lower standing in the world. Yeah, you really know what you are talking about you idiot.

September 16, 2012 11:08 am at 11:08 am |

Logic N LA

This man was being booted from office at the time of 9/11. Even with allthe praise he received- remember, his administration not only put the emergency repsonse headqurters in the building but tol all the tenants in the towers they were safe after the crashes. Ha dthose people been evacuated immediately the death toll would have been far fewer.
so who is he to comment on ANYTHING, especially foreign affairs?

September 16, 2012 11:09 am at 11:09 am |

Wire Palladin, S. F.

Romney has a foreign policy like cartoon character Yosemite Sam: rootin' tootin' gun shootin', and let God sort it all out.

September 16, 2012 11:10 am at 11:10 am |

Kr55

Poor Rudy. His interests in defense companies aren't bringing in as much cash as he's used to? That's just so unfortunate. OK, fine, lets blows some stuff up so Rudy and his friends can buy more vacation houses.

September 16, 2012 11:17 am at 11:17 am |

Randy, San Francisco

Romney has done enough damage to his own campaign over foreign policy. Pathetic that his surrogates like Guiliani is adding to his pain by continuing the atacks.

September 16, 2012 11:19 am at 11:19 am |

Amnesia 101

CNN, please let Rudy go home. Stop interviewing him. He adds nothing to the situations of today. BTW: it isn't that Mitt-foot in mouth-Romney adds his 2 cents on foreign policy ; it's how he goes about doing it. He is a disaster of the highest degree, and I have zero faith that he will be able to lead on any issue (domestic or foreign)

September 16, 2012 11:21 am at 11:21 am |

TM

A noun, a verb, and nothing new or helpful. Rudy's schtick is getting OLD.

►Giuliani: Obama's Middle East policy 'falling apart'◄
Why CNN gives this maniac a platform every week is BEYOND SMART!!!
And Giuliani believes that ROMNEY with the "red line" approach would be a better fit??
Dang, I guess that tells the American people that the Republicans are really "less-equipped"

Republicans on the Right already REGRET their pick and wish they had a better coach
Because RobMe already disgraced himself overseas with his "me better than you" approach
The Republicans now know that Mitt's LIES – his FLIPS and FLOPS cannot be Etch-A-Sketched away
And their efforts to paint President Obama with everything that hits the fan is also going NOWHERE today!!

AMERICA IS WAKING UP – We're not going to let $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ buy our election or distort the truth!!!

Obama/Biden 2012 – The Only Trusted Way Forward!!

September 16, 2012 11:31 am at 11:31 am |

VEW2012

Expert...really? Rudy...Romney is anything but an expert...this is just a repeat of the last crew that talked us into more than two wars...and then to act as if NO U.S. buildings were attacked during the Bush administration...other than those on 9/11. If truth be known, they would post date that event to after Jan. 2009 if they could induce pure amnesia to the populous. They seem to be pretty successful in brainwashing their sheep to suspend recall of other actual dates and facts.

Giuliani would be nothing without 9/11. He's just a wanna be blowhard. It's so easy to yell "bomb, invade, kill, fight" if you have no one in your family that would have to be sacrificed. Go back to the draft, with NO exceptions, and you'll see far less call for wars.

September 16, 2012 11:32 am at 11:32 am |

ted

Guiliani has absolutely no foreign policy expertise unless he counts dealing with New Jersey while NYC mayor. Romney has none either and exemplified his ignorance by coming out early with out all the facts at hand and criticizing the president when in fact he should have been supporting. If Romney was president, he would have started a new war. The issues with the middle east are that we do not know the history and cultures of the area and think that our way is the only way and we can see time and again, that doesn't work across many presidential administrations, regardless of party.

September 16, 2012 11:38 am at 11:38 am |

lindylou123

Shut up Rudy! Nobody cares what you think! When I saw that some of the protesters were PAID to protest, I smelled a rat and the rat is named right wing money – I would not put it past the right wing to have paid for the Arabic translation and to have paid people to protest- it is their way.